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A new Swimbait entry, the
Flex Phantom from Strike Pro (continued)
 Retrieve
cont'd:
It was when I was
playing with the lure on
pauses when a dark
shadow emerged from the
nearby vegetation and
chomped the Phantom. I
didn’t even have to set,
which was a good thing
since I really wasn’t
ready for it, there was
no mistaking that this
fish wanted the Phantom
in a bad way. Halfway
back to the boat the
fish went aerial and we
knew it was a big fish.
Seconds later the Flex
Phantom had claimed a
fish just shy of double
digits.
The Flex
Phantom
dives 3-5
feet with
the
crankbait
style diving
lip
Since
that day on Clear Lake the Flex Phantom has landed more fish on the Delta. The
most productive size for us has been the small size, but as can be expected it
is also a dink magnet. I haven’t caught another big bass on the Phantom 170 but
have had followers on multiple occasions. I believe this lure is less about
mimicking an actual fish but more about inciting curiosity and impulse strikes
from fish. The tail on this lure is downright spastic as far as swimbaits go.
A look at the profile of this mean
looking bait
Durability: The obvious weak point in this lure is the multi segmented tail
but we were very surprised by how strong the tail was to both forward and
backward pressure as well as rotational torque. The company describes the design
as a patented “Bike Chain” joint system, and the description is pretty spot on.
The tail is connected by very small double links, and the result is a lure that
has a very free range of motion yet is still durable. If you think about it the
tail really will not be stressed much as there is only one hook on this lure and
it is connected to the main body of the lure.
A look at the top of the lure
Also interesting on this lure are the patterns. Most of the
patterns are ghost variations, but there are solids as well like our pearl white
test lure. The finish on the lures look equally good both above and below the
water. We cast both types of lures directly into structure which resulted in a
few scratches but no paint chipped off the lure. We were surprised that contact
with the rocks did not result in any broken fins, another testament to the
construction of the Phantom. Overall the Phantom is certainly more durable than
it looks and will hold up to big fish.
From this angle you can see the
bicycle chain construction
Price & Applications: Swimbaits are among the most
expensive of lures, sure there are the affordable paddletails and flukes, but
the multi-jointed hard baits are functional works of art, and many of these
handmade offerings are priced like Picassos. There are many swimbait anglers out
there that are casting lures that are actually more expensive than the rods they
are throwing them with. The Flex Phantom is not one of these costly swimbaits
however, and is mass produced like other baits from Strike Pro. The lures retail
for a very reasonable 12.99 for the 3 ½” size and another two dollars for each
larger size. For 12.99 to 16.99 the Flex Phantom is among the most aggressively
priced hard multi-segment swimbaits on the market.
A 9.7lb Clear Lake bass that
inhaled the lure during testing
Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):
|
Strike
Pro
Flex
Phantom
Ratings (?/10)
|
| Construction/Quality |
The
Phantom
looks
like it
would
have
problems
with the
tail
construction
but it
holds
together
well and
is build
with
quality
components
and a
patented
"Bicycle
Chain"
design |
7 |
| Performance |
The lure
performs
fairly
and
there
are a
number
of
different
sizes
for
different
applications.
This
lure is
not as
good
when the
fish are
looking
for a
more
subtle
swimbait.
The lure
is best
when the
fish are
aggressive
and we
look
forward
to
getting
into
some
spots
and
stripers
with
this
lure
(this
may
improve
the
rating
in this
category) |
6 |
| Price |
A great
price
for a
lure
that is
very
entertaining
to fish |
8 |
| Features |
The lure's
main
features
are the
unique
tail and
embedded
flash
strip.
We would
have
loved a
second
hook in
the tail
for
short
strikes |
7 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
This
lure is
easy to
toss and
fishes
like a
crankbait.
It
doesn't
fish
like
most
other
swimbaits
and can
be even
worked
like a
jerkbait
in some
applications |
7 |
| Application |
Though
not a
true
trout
imitating
swimbait
the lure
does
work on
bodies
of water
that
have
trout as
well as
those
that do
not |
7 |
|
Total Score
|
7.00 |
Ratings Key:
1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus Minus
|
| J
Easy to
use,
fishes
like a
crank |
L
Only one
hook,
fish
need to
hit the
center
of the
lure |
| J
Entertaining
to fish |
L
Not a
true
trout
imitator |
| J
Multiple
retrieves |
|
| J
Very
reasonable
price |
|
Conclusion:
The
smaller Flex Phantom 90 is more like a crankbait than a swimbait but the two
larger sizes are a welcome addition to the swimbait foray. The Flex Phantom
blends crankbait and swimbait design with a unique patented tail to create one
of the most entertaining new lures to fish. Luckily for Strike Pro this lure
isn’t just entertaining to fish, but is proven to be effective at garnering
attention from fish as well. As with other swimbaits big baits catch big fish
and if you are looking for quality over quantity then the Phantom170 is going to
be your best bet. We are going to experiment with adding a stinger or second
treble into the rear of the lure and see if it negatively effects the swim
pattern but in its current form the Flex Phantom is a quality new
swimbait/crankbait hybrid that is both easy and fun to fish, not to mention that
is a good deal for only 15-17 dollars.
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